Globalstar names Qualcomm’s Jacobs as CEO
August 30, 2023
By Chris Forrester
Paul Jacobs, the former CEO and chairman of chip-set manufacturer Qualcomm is to be the new CEO at satellite-phone business Globalstar.
Globalstar has a contract with Apple to link iPhones with its growing satellite business. The latest iPhones (i14) can already make SES emergency calls in certain countries.
Jacobs headed up Qualcomm from 2005 to 2014 and was the son of the company’s co-founder Irwin Jacobs. He left Qualcomm’s Board of directors in 2018 where he was the company’s Executive chairman.
“I have devoted my career to advancing and commercialising innovation in wireless technology and am thrilled to continue this journey as CEO of Globalstar,” Jacobs said in the appointment announcement. “The teams I’ve led have demonstrated the value creation that is possible by applying new technology to enhance capacity of underappreciated spectrum, and that is one of the many opportunities I see at Globalstar.”
He replaces David Kagan who has retired.
Globalstar recently ordered 17 extra low Earth orbiting satellites from Canadian satellite builder MDA. Globalstar has said it is planning to launch a new two-way device platform and related services later this year.